Many Boston Red Sox fans feared the worst after reports that Marcelo Mayer had been scratched from the club's March 15 spring training game. The former top prospect was dealing with knee soreness of then-unreported severity.
Fortunately, the Red Sox quickly came to believe that he would be fine and able to play by Tuesday, March 17 — excellent news for the injury-prone Mayer, who's never played more than 91 games in a season due to different ailments throughout his young career. But he returned to action even sooner than expected.
Mayer suited up to play in Monday's minor league spring training game alongside Garrett Crochet, whom the Red Sox started there to get him lined up for his start on Opening Day, March 26. Mayer's own bid for the Opening Day roster is still intact after his swift recovery.
Marcelo Mayer returns to action in minor league game after scratch from Red Sox spring training game with knee soreness
Alex Cora made it clear that Mayer has to earn an Opening Day roster spot after the additions of Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Caleb Durbin and Andruw Monasterio. So far, he's put on a solid show, with six hits, including a homer, three runs, two RBI, five walks and six strikeouts over eight spring training games. He's also shown flashes of the smooth, athletic defense he's become known for over his time in the minor leagues.
Any missed playing time could've spelled disaster for Mayer's Opening Day bid, especially with Kiner-Falefa and Monasterio hitting so well in the early goings. Now, if anything keeps him from the big league roster, it won't be his sore knee.
Triston Casas takes some at-bats in Red Sox minor league spring training game as knee injury recovery continues
Triston Casas also appeared in the minor league spring training game alongside Mayer. The first baseman is still working his way back from a ruptured patellar tendon and reparative surgery he underwent less than a year ago, and he isn't cleared for base running or fielding yet, making for a funny scene at the game.
Ian Browne of MLB.com reported that Casas has drawn a walk and knocked a double to right field. He jogged to first base, then came off the field. Nobody took his place on the bases — Browne called him a different kind of "ghost runner" than MLB fans are used to.
He's a long way from a reutrn to major league action and his fit on Boston's roster is questionable, but it's reassuring to see Casas hitting with extra-base power early in his ramp-up process. The Red Sox didn't sign a true power bat this offseason, and while Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu will contribute some homers, they still see Casas as a player with 30-homer potential.